Flanging machine



2' SHEETS-SHEET l.

1,408,106. l Patented 28;;1922

H. MCCABE.

FLANGING MACHlNE.

- APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1919.

1 ,408, 1 06, Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fa 5g C (zz l zen of the United States,

PATENT oss-ics UNITED .STATES man: Moonen, or LAWRENCE, nassacnusnrrs.

a 11i-.meme nacHnm applicati@ and July's,

. rence, in the countyof Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flanging Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such skilled in the art to which it appertains to -make anduse the same.

This invention relates to flanging ma chines, and particularly to Hanging machines oi the e disclosed in the patent to Hugh McCabe o. 1,164,732, dated December 21, 1915, upon which the present invention is an improvement.-

When sheet metal is Hanged step by step in a machine of the above mentione t incremental iangings cause the upper surface of the sheet to buckle. In my prior patent above mentioned, manually operated means are disclosed for transversely straining the sheet before each increment of the flan is formed, thus counteracting the ten ency of the sheet to buckle.- In order lthat the finished sheet may be dat after the langmg operation, the amount to which the sheet is strained in this manner must be re ulated more or ley carefully so that conslderable time and effort is consumed in effect. ing this regulation. One object of the present invention is to provide power operated mechanism by means ofwhich succeeding portions. of the sheet may be automatically strained to the same extent so that the time and effort ordinarily consumed in making this regulation may be eliminated.

The amount to which any articular sheet must be transversely straine in order that the tendency to buckle may be exactly counteracted depends upon the character of the metal and some sheets which possess the characteristics of ls ringy steel must be strained a considerab e amount, so that considerable effort 'is required on the part of the operator, to turn down the hand wheels and set screws shown in the above mentioned patent.

Another object ofthe present invention is to provide power 'operated -means whereby such sheets may be strained .quickly yand with no effort on the part of the operator. A further object of the invention is to improve the construction of Hanging machines .of the above mentioned type Yin certain other Specification of Letters Patent.

as will enable others of the power ype,the y lmeans of a handle 14 Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

1919. Serial No. 308,512.

details to facilitate the transverse straining of the sheet as will hereinafter appear.

With these objects in view the invention conslsts in the constructions, arrangements, and combinations ofparts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will be obvlous to those skilled in the art.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred .embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation chine; Fig. 2

1s an enlarged end elevation operated straining devices; Flg. 3 anenlarged vertical section of one of the straining devices; and Fig. 4 an enlarged detallof one of the swivel bearin plates.

The improved Hanging machine lllustrated 1n the drawings is described as follows: The plate 1, which is to be flanged, is held in a work clamp which com rises an.. anvil 2 and a clamping block 10. he anvil is lifted by means of a wedge 11 operated by a compressed alr -cylinder 12 to rmly clamp the work 1n place. The upper clamp block or member 10 can be swung` upwardl by so that the wor can be readily removed after it is flanged, and for this purpose the brace rods 13 are removably secured to the frame of the clampblock 10. The flange is bent upon the edge of the plate b means of a bender which comprlses a wor engaging late 15 which is mounted upon a segmenta `bender carrier 16 provided with a segmental gear 17, The segmental gear 17 meshes with a rack 18 which is reciprocated by means of compressed air in the cylinder 19 to impart an angular movement to the bender. The bender is repeatedly oscillated through an angle somewhat more than 30 .and the work is fed and clamped until a flange of about 30 is turnedover the entire des1red length of the late. war ly so that the completedflange is bent in a plurality of steps, as clearly described in the .McCabe Patent No. 1,030,416. The above mentioned'parts with the exceptions hereinafter noted have substantially the same construction and mode of operation as the .corresponding parts in the McCabe Patent No. 1,030,416; A mechanism 35 is provided for automatically limiting the movement of the rack 18 whenever its position is changed with relation to the segmenof the improved flanging matal ear 17, so as to control the movements of Then the bender is shifted for- 4.this way to permit the bender to be returned free of the flange after it has sprung back, and which is disclosed in and forms the subject matter of another application filed. by me on even date herewith, and forms alone no art of the present invention.

he clamping block 10 has a flat work engagin surface and is provided with two latera ly extending arms 30 in the end portion of each of which one of the straining devices is secured. Each of the straining devices comprises a supporting casing 49 which screws into the end portion of the arm 30 and which is provi-ded at its upper end with a cap portion screwed thereon and p forming a working cylinder 50 for a piston to the work.

51. The piston 51 is operated by compressed air admitted to the top of the c linder 50 through the inlet port 52, swive coupling 53, flexible hose 54 and pipe 55, connected with a supply of Y compressed air (not shown). The flow of the compressed air through the pipe 55, flexible hose 54 and couplin 53 is controlled by the manually operated valve 56. The piston 51 is actuated downwardly by compressed air against the compression of a coil spring 57 which ernbraces a cylindrical guide 58 forming part of the supporting casing 49. The piston 51 is guided in its downward movements by a cylindrical depending portion 59 whlch fits into the interior4 of the hollow cylindrical guide 58.

The lower part of the supporting casing 49 is threaded and screws into the supporting arm 30. hand wheel 60 is secured the cap member 50 by bolts one of which 1s shown at 61 and serves to enable the entire device to be screwed down with relation to the supportin arm 30 to effect an initial adjustment of t e entire device with relation A swivel bearing plate 70 having a substantial bearing area, is mounted on the end of the plunger 71 which is slidably movable within the lower portion of the casing 49. The bearing plate 70 and plunger 71 are held upwardly within the casing 49 by springs 72, embracing swivel gulde bolts 7 3, the lower ends of which are mounted in the bearing plate 70. The bolts 73 extend i through holes in laterally extended lugs 74,

and springs 72 are arranged so that their Vlower ends rest on the lugs 74, and their upper ends abut nuts 75 secured on the bolts 73. Thus it will be observed that all downward movements of the plunger 71 cause compression of the springs 72, which tend to return the plunger when the downward pressure thereon is removed The upper portion of the plunger 71 slides, in the cylindrical hollow guide 58, and the upper end thereof abuts a shoulder 82 in the downwardly depending portion 59 of the piston 51, whereby the downward movement 'of the piston 51 is transmitted directly through the plunger 71 to the work. The

upward stroke before the lower wall of the groove is brought into contact with the pins 64 to raise the plunger 71 for a purpose to be described.

The operation of. the parts of the straining device is as follows: When com ressed air is admitted to the top of the casing 50, the piston 51 is forced downwardly through a denite stroke,` thereby compressin the coil spring 57 The plunger 71 1s simu taneously moved downwardly by contact of the shoulder 82 with the upper end of the plunger 71. When the piston 51 has reached the end of its downward stroke the plunger is rigidly locked to the supporting casing 49 in a manner to be described, so that if the `air pressure above the piston 51 decreases and fluctuates the work will be rigidly maintained in its strained position so long as the air pressure above the piston 51 is sufficient to overcome the, -compression in the coil spring 57 to maintain the piston in its downward position.

The plunger 71 is provided with a hole 80 extended transversely therethrough and in which two steel balls 81 are located being freev to roll outwardly and' inwardly. The supporting casing 49 is provided with a recess 83, arranged with relation to the transverse hole 80 in the plunger so that when the piston and plunger are at the downward imit of their stroke, the steel balls 81 upon being forced outwardly, fit under the upper end of shoulders 84 of the recess 83, thereby rigidl locking the plunger 71 to the casing 49. n order to control the movements of the steel balls 81, the piston 51 is provided with a hole 90 extended downwardly through the center thereof, in which a plunger 92 is slidably received and the end of which is pointed and arranged to project below the bottom surface of the downwardly dependi ing portion 59 of the piston 51. A spring 94 the upper end of which is held by a plug 95 screwed into and closing the upper end of the hole 90, serves to yieldingly maintain the lunger 92 in its downward position with reation to the lpiston 51. A vertically arranged hole 7 in the plunger 71 .extends intd the transverse hole 8O and is arranged to permit the end of the plunger 92-to be projected into the hole 80l and to thereby force the steel balls 81 to roll outwardly under the shoulders 84 of the recess 83,

Aupper portion of the plunger 71 is rovided' thereby rigidly locking the plunger 71 to the casing 49.

'When the air' pressure above the pistonl is removed,the coil s ring 57 causes the pis-v ton 51 to start on its upward movement, thereby raising the end 'of the plunger out of Contact with the steel balls 81.V y the time that the plunger 92 has been withdrawn from 'between the steel'balls 81, the bottom wall of the groove 63 is brought into engage ment with the pin 64 thereby exerting a lifting force upon the plunger 71 by means of which pressure is exerted by the rounded edges of the shoulders 84 upon the steel balls 81, and the latter are rolled inwardly to the interior of the hole 80, thereby permitting' the plunger 71 to be lifted upwardly by the piston 51.

Thus it will be observed that in the operation of Hanging a metal sheet. the supporting casing 49 is first adjusted to a normal working position by screwing the same downwardly into the supporting arm 30, so that the length of the stroke of the piston 5l vf-ll cause the metal sheet to be strained to 'the desired degree, and in this manner after the initial'adjustment has been made,

the work may be strained to the same degree when each increment of the flange is turned down, b v succeeding operations of the piston 51 without altering the adjustment of the casing 49. thereby eliminating all Waste of time and effort.

It will also be observed that the work is positively retained in its strained position during the H. nging operation so that counter stresses resulting from the Hanging operation, cannot operate to overcome the air pressure above the piston and that these stresses are transmitted, directly to and taken up by the frame of the machine, thus making the construction very economical and practical.

In the above description and in the claims the word strain is used in its scientific sense., meaning the deformation which results from a stress. The term body portion as herein used designates that portion of the wo"k which constitutes the main body there of after the Hange has been formed. The term is used to distinguish from the flange itself.

Nhile the preferred form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the. invention may be em.- bodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims:

1. A Hanging machine having, in combination, means for Hanging the work', a straining device capable of adjust-ment toward and from the work, means for adjusting the straining device, and means for operating the straining device Without affecting the adjustment thereof.

2. A Hanging machine having, in combination, means for Hanging the work, andV an adjustable straining device having a work engaging member, means for adjusting the straining device, and means for .moving the same without affecting the adjustment of the straining device. 4

- 3. A Hanging machine having, in combina# tion, `means for Hanging the work, and a straining devi-ce constructed and arranged s'o that succesive portions of the body. portion of the work may be automatically strained to substantially the sameextent. i

4. A Hanging machine having, in combination,'a work engaglng clamp, a straining device mounted on the clamp', and means for Hanging the work, said straining device having means whereby successive portions ot' the body` portion of the work may be automatically strained kto substantially the same extent. i

5. A Hanging machine having, in combination, a Work engaging clamp and a straining device mounted thereon, the straining device' having mea-ns whereby successive portions of the body portion of the work may be automatically strained to substantially the same extenty and the clamp having provision whereby both the clamp and straining device may be moved into an inoperative position to permit withdrawal of the work after it has been Hanged.

.i `Hanging machine having, in combination. means for Hanging the work, and a straining device having a work engaging member and a pneumatically operated device embodying Hexibie pneumatic connections for actuating the same to stra-in the body ortion of the work.

-7. Hanging machine having, in combination, means for Hanging theV work, an' adjustably mounted straining device for straining the body portion of the work during the Hanging operation, means for adjusting the straining device, and means for 'actuating the straining device through a. definite stroke,

8. A Hanging machine having, incombination, means for Hangin the work, and a straining device for straining the body portion of the work during the Hanging o eration, said straining device having a wor .engaging member, means for actuating the same, and means for adjusting the position of said 4Work engaging memberand actuating means with relation to the work.

9. A Hanging machine having, in combination, means for Hanging the work, av straining device having a definite stroke, and means for positivel operating the straining device through sai deHnite`stroke.

10. A Hanging machine having, in combination, means for Hanging the Work and a straining device provided with a work engaging member, 'means for actuating the same through a deinite stroke, and means Huid actuated piston, and a work engaging for adjusting the position of the straining device with relationto the work.

11. A Hanging machinehaving, in com! bination, means yfor Hanging the work, and 1.

tion to the supporting. casing during the Han 'n o ratlon.

l1 Ag Hiiiiging machine having, in combination, means for Hanging the work and a straining device having'a supporting casing, power actuated straining means .movab e with relation to the casing for stralnin the work and means cooperating therewit for locking the work in its strained position with relation to the casing during the Hanging operation.

13. A Hanging machine having, in combination, means for Hanging the work, and a straining device provided with actuating means for strainin the work and havin provision whereby t e retention of the wor in its strained position is accomplished independently of the actuating means,

14. A Hanging machine having, 1n combination, means for Hanging the work, and

a strainin device for straining the body portion o the work during the Hanglng operation comprising a supporting casing, a

plunger actuated thereby.

Vbination, means for Hanging the work, and

15. A Hanging machine having, in coma strainin device for strami the body portion o the work during Itie Hanging operation comprising a supporting casing, a Huid actuated piston, a plunger actuated thereby, and a swivel bearing plate mounted on the end ofthe plunger.

16. A Hanging machine provided with a straining device comprising al supporting casing, a Huid actuated piston, a plunger actuated thereby, a swivel bearing plate mounted on the end of the p1unger, and means cooperating with the supporting cas-4 ing for preventing movement of the work from its strained position. l

17 A Hangin machine having in combination, a ben er, a screw-threaded su'p port, a straining device adjustably carried in said support comprising a pneumaticallyy operated work enga "ng member, for engaging and straining t e work and means for retaini the work in its strained position during t e Hanging operation.

18. A Hanging machine having, in com- 'l bination, a bender, a screw-threaded support, a straining device adjustably carried 1nA said support comprising a pneumatically operated work engagin member, for en gaging and strainin t e bodyportion ofi?n the Workduring the anging operation.

HUGH MCCABE 

